


A Slow Dance

by phantisma



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Kissing, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-24
Updated: 2015-01-24
Packaged: 2018-03-08 22:15:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3225419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phantisma/pseuds/phantisma
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It begins with just a smile, and they both know the steps, though they try to deny it.  One step forward, two steps back, each turn bringing them closer, each movement a delicate balance until they finally come together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Slow Dance

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BADFalcon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BADFalcon/gifts).



The sun was almost fully down outside her window as she sank into her chair with a weary sigh and contemplated the various tasks still accumulating in her inbox and on her desk. She pulled the elastic band out of her hair and ruffled her fingers through to loosen the braid that had held it.

It had been a week since she had officially taken command of Atlantis, and while there hadn't been any major events, it had been a week of adjusting, for her and for those under her. She wasn't used to this kind of position. She had always been in the field, or in the lab and while she had no doubts about her command abilities, she was starting to doubt her skill in the administrative tasks this job demanded of her.

Add to that, she was lightyears away from the familiar, which under normal circumstances wouldn't upset her, but combined with the stress, she found herself wishing for Daniel or Cameron or even Dr. Lee to knock on her door and drag her out of her head.

She smiled to herself as she said it, and turned her attention to the latest email from Rodney. She was startled then when there was a knock on the door and she looked up.

"Colonel." John Sheppard smiled at her, leaning casually on the door frame.

"John, come in." She set the tablet aside and gestured to the seat opposite her.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"No, just…trying to keep on top of things."

He nodded, sinking into the chair. "First week. How's it feel?"

She smiled and nodded. "Good. Different…but I'm adjusting."

"Anything I can do to help?"

She shook her head. "I'm fine, thank you."

"Well, Colonel Mitchell told me that you love to make fun of sci fi and I just got a mess of new movies in when the Daedalus was here. How about we grab some food in the mess hall and you can tell me all about what they got wrong in the last Star Trek movie."

It sounded relaxing, but she still had a lot to do. "Maybe another time?" 

He nodded and stood. "Standing offer. Anytime."

"I'll keep that in mind." She watched him go, then turned back to her email. Almost a half hour later there was another knock of her door and she found a young woman with a tray.

"Colonel Sheppard sent me, ma'am. He said you needed some dinner."

"Thank you..." 

"Major Lason, ma'am."

"Thank you, Major." The woman put a tray on her desk with a sandwich and some milk, a bag of cookies and an apple, and tucked inside the napkin was a note. She lifted it as the Major left her office. "Nothing Rodney said in that five page email is so important you shouldn't eat. --John."

 

"Are you coming, John?" Teyla asked, drawing his attention back from the movement that had caught his eye.

"Um, no. You go ahead." He handed off his weapons to Ronon to return to the armory. "I'll catch up."

He watched for a second through the small panel of clear glass between all the colored ones, then took the stairs two at a time, nodding to the control room crew before leaning into Colonel Carter's office. She smiled and waved him in. "You're team is back early."

He nodded, eyes narrowing as he got a good look at her. She was tired, her eyes red like she'd been rubbing at them. "Pretty easy mission. They're good people. Arranged a trade, came home."

She relaxed a little. "Good. Anything else I should know?"

"Actually…I was hoping I could steal an hour or two of your time."

Her brow furrowed a little and she leaned forward, arms on the desk. "What for?"

He hadn't actually thought that far ahead, so he scrambled a little. "There's something I want you to see. It's on Rodney's list of things to look at, but that list of his is so long, and it's bugging me."

"Okay, what is it?"

John scrambled through memories of various rooms and gadgets until he seized on something. "There's a room out on the east pier, I think it was sort of a design lab, Rodney thinks it's nothing."

"What makes you think it's a design lab?" Sam asked, her interest obviously piqued.

"Well, there's a 3D model of a ship, something like a cross between an Aurora class and something smaller. And there's one of those tables that lets you virtually build stuff."

"Are you thinking that there may be unfinished designs that we could use to incorporate some of their technology?"

John shrugged. "Yeah, could be." He hadn't actually thought that, but if it got her to come with him, he'd let her think so. "So what do you say? Got a few hours?"

She looked for a long minute like she was going to say no, but then she smiled. "Yeah, why not."

John grinned. "Great. Let me just do my post mission check in with Keller. I'll meet you by the transporter in about an hour?"

An hour later, John escorted Sam into the transporter and took her out to the east pier, showing her into the room, which came to life as they stepped inside. The model dominated one side of the room, detailed and lit so that they could even see inside of it. "Wow." Sam breathed as she leaned in, her eyes sweeping over the clean lines. "This is beautiful."

John stepped over to the console, bringing up the display over the table. "See, I found…" But Sam was already there, leaning around him, her fingers reaching to take over the controls. John stepped back, smirking. He watched then as she worked, losing herself in sorting through the technology.

It was nearly a half hour before she came up for air, looking around the room almost like she was surprised. "This is amazing."

John nodded. "I thought you might like it. Rodney didn't seem to think it was important."

"Rodney isn't a pilot." She gestured at him. "Or interested in building better ships. At least, it isn't his first focus." She looked around the room, then back at him. "But you didn't just bring me down here to circumvent Rodney."

John shrugged and grinned. "You looked like you needed to get out of that office. I thought I'd show you something that would make you happy…and from that smile on your face when we walked in, I think it worked."

 

It had been a hellacious week, capped off by the fall that broke her leg and left her hobbling around Atlantis on a pair of crutches. The sun had gone down hours before and all the activity left outside her office was the night shift coming on in the control room.

She pushed herself up and grabbed the crutches to head to her quarters before realizing she hadn't eaten since breakfast, so she turned for the mess hall. She expected to find it empty, but was surprised to find John and Ronon still there.

They both stood as she got to the table they were sitting at, Ronon moving over to offer her his chair. "I don't mean to interrupt," she said. "I just realized I hadn't eaten in a while."

John nodded to Ronon before encouraging her to sit. "Ronon will bring you something. You sit."

Ronon returned with a tray and set it in front of her. "I'm going to get a run in before bed."

"Night."

"Good night, Ronon. Thank you." Sam said, lifting her sandwich.

"How's the leg?" John asked as she chewed.

"Sore," she responded. "But it isn't bad. How's your head?"

He instinctively lifted a hand to rub at the knot she knew he was sporting after a sparring accident with Teyla. "Let's just say it's a good thing I have a hard head." He laughed and sipped from his water.

"You don't have to keep me company, John." Sam said after a few minutes of quiet.

"Maybe I like keeping you company." John responded. "Besides, you have better table manners than Ronon."

She smiled before lifting the sandwich again.

"You should do that more often." John said.

"What, eat?" Sam asked around her bite.

He laughed and shook his head. "No, smile. You have an amazing smile."

Sam could feel the blush rising in her cheeks, but wasn't sure what to say. She swallowed and opened her water bottle, swallowing several times before looking up. "I…"

He held up both hands. "I'm not hitting on you. I'm just saying, you look very nice when you smile."

The tips of his ears were turning pink and somehow she found that adorable. "So you're not flirting with your superior officer?" she asked, watching the pink work its way down onto his cheeks.

"That would be wrong." John said. "I'm just complimenting a friend."

Sam nodded, still grinning. "Right."

"How about we change the subject?" John asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Okay." Sam wiped her face. "How about a serious question? Star Wars or Star Trek?"

John lifted an eyebrow. "That's a bit personal, isn't it?" He crossed his arms and appeared to think about it. "Depends on how you're judging them. Star Wars sucks on the science side of things, but the storytelling is phenomenal. Trek is better at the science."

"Which Trek?" Sam asked, curiosity rising. She'd read John's file, she knew he was intelligent, but like her own former commanding officer, he liked to hide it behind a façade of indifference and sarcasm.

"Original Trek is classic, and I've been watching it since I was a kid, but Next Gen was slicker."

"Good answers." Sam conceded. "Okay, favorite science fiction movie?"

John frowned a little. "Favorite? Yes isn't an answer?"

"Come on, everyone has a favorite," she goaded.

John started listing off favorites, and she stopped him from time to time to talk about one or another, laughing over bad effects and reversed polarity, traveling back in time to some of the first in the genre, until her cheeks hurt from smiling and she realized how much she had relaxed. She glanced at her watch, eyes growing wide as she realized it was well after midnight. "Wow." 

John looked up and around them. "How late is it?"

"Almost one in the morning." Sam responded, struggling to her feet. "We should both get some sleep."

John stood as well, reaching one hand to her waist to steady her when she wobbled. He was so close she could feel his breath on her skin and for the briefest moment she imagined him holding her, kissing her even. She closed her eyes and pulled back from him. "John…"

"I know." He didn't let go though, just stepped back. "I've got you."

"I'm okay now." Sam said, her voice soft and breathy. 

He cleared his throat and moved his hand with a tight nod. "Okay. Let me at least walk you to your door."

She knew she should tell him no and leave, but she found herself nodding and John fell into step beside her. It felt oddly comforting, knowing that someone was there, letting her do her job, but there to help if she needed him. 

They didn't speak, all the way to her door, where she stopped, looking up at John. "This is me."

He smiled, and for a split second looked like he might try to kiss her and she almost wished he would. "Sleep well, Colonel," he said instead. "I'll see you tomorrow."

She watched him walk away before opening her door, shaking her head at herself. The last thing she needed right now was to be thinking things like that about one of the men in her command. "Never could fall for the right guy," she grumbled as she undressed for bed. 

 

There was a part of him that knew that what he was thinking about could never happen. She was his superior officer, even if only by a small margin. But she was brilliant and beautiful and watching her put Ronon on his ass for the third time was hotter than he'd ever admit to her face.

She was sweaty and breathing hard as she offered her hand to help him up, the hair that had been tightly bound in her braid when it started all coming loose and sticking to her skin. She grinned and slapped Ronon's shoulder before crossing to pick up her towel to wipe her face.

"Really? You're going to let her walk away like that?" John asked as Ronon grabbed his water bottle, rolling his head side to side. "I don't know, buddy. I think you're getting soft if you let a woman put you down like that."

Ronon squirted him in the face with water in response and Sam grinned at him. "I let her have it." Ronon said, earning another slap, this time across his arm.

"Let nothing." Sam responded, mopping her face before stealing the water bottle. "Maybe the first time, but that last one, that was all me."

"How's the leg holding up?" John asked and he really was looking at the leg she had broken, not at her ass, even if the look on her face said she'd never believe it.

"My leg is fine." Sam said.

"You still want to run after that?"

Sam nodded and tossed the towel down. "Lets see this impossible route you keep telling me about."

"You in, Ronon?" John gave Ronon the look, the patented guy look to back off and Ronon chuckled. 

"No, I know what's good for me."

John pointed out the door of the gym and out into the hall. "It’s a bit of a long route, you sure you don't want to try something shorter? You've already had a good workout."

"I can take it if you can." Sam said, grinning and pulling up one foot to stretch a little.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." John set them off at a jog, pointing directions as they came to intersections. By the second flight of stairs, he kicked it up, though he kept an eye on her just in case. He and Teyla had mapped the course out back before her pregnancy. "Cat walk. Go ahead of me, take the first right." 

John followed her, telling himself that he wasn't watching her ass while she ran, even while he was watching her ass while she ran. No. He was making sure she was okay. He was only a few steps behind her when he felt the metal walkway shake. He saw her grab for the railing, her eyes widening and he dove forward, catching her hand just as the walkway gave way beneath her.

He grabbed the railing with his other hand, got his feet on the uprights and pulled, hoping their sweaty hands would hold long enough to get her up. 

"Wait," she panted at him. "I'm stuck."

"Hurry. Can't hold…" He could feel his grip slipping, then he heard a rip and suddenly she was moving toward him again, landing on top of him. She was shaking, but seemed okay as she pushed herself up enough to look down at him.

She was red in the face, hair disheveled and still, she was gorgeous. She was also bleeding he suddenly realized, reaching for her. Her shirt was ripped open, exposing a fair amount of stomach and a gash that was a good six inches long. "You're hurt."

Sam lifted a hand to her head, drawing his eyes there, where there was even more blood. "Smacked my head on the metal."

John's hand brushed over the wound in her stomach and she winced. "Oh, that hurt."

"Okay, not that I'm not enjoying this position we find ourselves in, but maybe we should get you down to the infirmary." He slid back, out from under her and stood, offering his hand to help her up. "Nearest transporter is this way." They moved a lot slower than before, back down the stairs and out into a better lit corridor where he stopped them and moved to get a better look at her head. "That's gotta hurt," he murmured, his breath ruffling her hair.

Her hand covered the egg that was rising under the cut, her face scrunching up. "Yeah, that's not good."

He slid an arm around her waist and pulled her close before starting them toward the transporter.

A few minutes later he watched as Dr. Keller got her under the scanner. His heart was still racing, like he had been running the whole way back. 

"She's going to be fine."

He blinked and looked up, surprised to find Keller beside him and Sam being moved so they could handle the cut on her stomach. "What?"

"She's going to be fine. Mild concussion and a couple of stitches. I'm going to keep her here overnight for observation, make sure the head injury isn't more serious than it looks."

"Good." He crossed to the bed, smiling a little when Sam rolled her eyes. "I guess I'm not the only one with a hard head around here."

"I'll be fine." Sam said, taking his hand. "Thanks to you."

"Just doing my job." John responded. 

"Colonel Carter, Colonel Sheppard, please come to the control room."

"Speaking of which." She nodded at him. "Go on. You know where I'll be if you need me."

He wasn't even thinking when he leaned down and kissed her forehead, but he froze as he did it, half expecting to get punched for it, but when he finally pulled back, she was smiling. "Okay." John whispered. He was starting to flush and he knew it, so he made for the door, trying to put it out of his mind as he headed for the control room to find out what the next crisis would be.

 

Everything was quiet now, everything but her head, racing over the details, second guessing the decisions, wondering when someone was going to tell her that she wasn't good enough to do this job. But then, she wondered if anyone would ever suit the IOA. She closed the last of the paperwork and fit it into the folder that would return to earth when Daedalus left at the end of the week, and rubbed her head. It wasn't the first time she had lost someone under her command, but the secrecy required when that someone was killed by a Wraith bothered her more than she'd like to admit.

Sam sighed and rubbed at her eyes, suddenly tired. She turned off her computer and stood, saying good night to the people in the control room as she passed. She was nearly to her quarters when Rodney came running up to her, his tablet in hand, already rambling at her.

She held up a hand and when that didn't stop him, she covered his mouth. "Rodney, if it isn't something that's going to happen in the next ten hours, I don't want to hear about it."

"But I found-"

"Rodney." John approached from behind her. "It's been a long day. I'm sure whatever it is can wait for tomorrow."

"But--"

"Rodney. Is something going to explode?"

"Well, no."

"Are we about to be attacked?"

"No." Rodney actually was starting to sound petulant.

"Alright then. Whatever it is, right up a report, have it on Colonel Carter's desk in themorning."

John glared until Rodney slunk away. "Sorry about him, he gets excited."

"No, it's okay." Sam said, stifling her yawn. "He means well."

"You're exhausted." John's hand was warm on her shoulder.

"I was just heading to bed." Sam said, blinking up at his smile. He had a nice smile. His arm slipped around her shoulders and they started walking again. "What are you doing, John?"

"Walking you to your quarters. Protecting you from stray scientists."

She probably should tell him she was fine on her own, but it felt good, his arm around her like that, the heat of his body so close. A part of her wanted to curl into that heat and stay there. She cleared her throat as they stpped in front of her door. "John."

She turned, her back to the door.

"I know, " he responded. He was close, so close and if she wanted to it wouldn't take much to kiss him.

She wanted to. "We can't…I mean, there are…"

"Rules." John finished for her. "I've never been a real stickler for the rules."

She closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. "I have." She opened her eyes and met his, smiling a little. "So, we can't."

He nodded almost imperceptibly and stepped back. "Right."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too." John responded. "Get some rest, Colonel. It's been a long day."

 

He hadn't taken no for an answer. It wasn't a date, it was two colleagues having dinner and discussing a tough week. In fact, he told himself, he had put the idea behind him. She was right. They couldn't. So they wouldn't. It was that simple.

And then she showed up to his quarters, looking like she did, with that smile and her tablet and John had to remind himself again. They couldn't. They shouldn't. And yet, while they talked about personnel rotation and reassignments, he found himself watching the way her hands moved on the tablet, or picked at her food, or tucked a stray hair back behind her ear.

"Did you hear anything I just said?" Sam asked, smiling at him.

John cleared his throat. "Yes, actually. I think Major Nells would be better on Lieutenant Billings team, better personality match. Nells and Trenton don't always agree on things, it's caused some friction." He took a drink from his beer. "Otherwise, I agree. It's good to shake things up a bit."

"I wish everyone agreed. Rodney was not happy with the new scientists that came in on the last rotation." 

John snorted. "Rodney's never happy. He's Rodney." He pushed back from the table. "I got us some dessert." He went to the cart he'd used to bring the food down from the mess hall. "Don't get too excited." He lifted the bowl of red jello, leaning around her to put it in front of her, his free hand resting lightly on her shoulder. "Damn, you're so tense." He stopped and turned to her, his fingers playing along her upper back. He rubbed lightly and felt her exhale, relaxing into the touch, only to stiffen up a moment later.

"John."

"Just a little de-stressing." John responded softly, his fingers traveling along the knots in her muscles. He massaged for a minute, then stepped back, grabbing his own jello and returning to his seat. "You should really get someone who knows what they're doing to do that."

"You seemed to do alright." Sam said, though she looked away and he though he saw a bit of blush on her cheeks.

"I've had practice." He took a bite of his jello, thinking now, watching her face. "You know what you need? You need to relax."

"Relax?" Sam asked, looking at him with doubt on her face. "You know of a spa I could spend a day at?"

He shook his head and got up, abandoning his jello and turning to turn his cd player on. The music started playing, saxophone spilling out around him as he held out his hand. "I've got a better idea."

She hesitated, but her hand slipped into his and she came, letting him guide her into the open space on the floor. "Close your eyes," he murmured to her as he pulled her in close, sliding his hand around her back. "Breathe slowly." She rested her head against his chest as he started to slowly move them, swaying with the music, their feet barely moving in the small space. "That's it, just relax." His voice was barely more than a whisper as his hand moved from the small of her back, rubbing in slow circles over tense muscles.

She was light in his arms and warm against his body and when she lifted her head to look at him, there was a vulnerability in her eyes he hadn't expected, an opening he wasn't sure he should press into. Her breath was hot on his lips, an invitation he couldn't resist. It didn't take much movement to brush his lips across hers.

"We shouldn't…" she whispered, her eyes still searching his, as if she might find the right excuse in them. 

"Relax," he whispered back, closing his eyes so he wouldn't see the denial as he let their lips come together a little more fully. She shivered in his arms, but didn't pull away. It was enough. He turned them, her head returning to his chest as he folded both arms around her, swaying gently.

The song was ending, but they continued to move, changing rhythm just a bit as the next song began. Sam lifted her head and John licked his lips, half expecting she would end it now, but to his surprise, she mimicked his movement, licking her lips before she closed the space between them, her tongue sliding into his mouth as their lips met, teasing along his and pulling back, inviting him to follow. She tasted like cherry jello and sunshine. The whole world was spinning around them and both of his hands lifted to cup her face as they kissed, holding them together inside the moment.

His heart was thundering as the kiss ended, torn between wanting more and wanting to just go on like this forever. Her body was looser in his arms, melting into him as they swayed. She leaned into him, letting him guide them, her eyes closed, and it was enough. 

For the moment, it was enough.


End file.
